I was wondering if there were any specific mantras or prayers that are used first thing after you wake up and right before bedtime. Maybe something to dedicate all my actions to benefit others everywhere and to reduce their suffering. I'm very new to Buddhism and I thought that this may help me keep my mind in the right place.

I'm still new at this too and not real sure I'm doing anything "right".When it comes to stuff like the precepts & 8 fold path; I just do my best and hope for the best, even though some of them are somewhat problematic (still not sure on Right Action & Right Livelihood).I've gone through a refuge & Bodhisattva vow ceremony - but the understanding for that ceremony was that I would follow the Bodhisattva vows for that day.Plan to take householder precepts/vows for life at some point in the future and Bodhisattva vows if my situation ever allows for it.In the mean time, I read as much as I can and I keep trying to shape my life & my habits to be more accommodating to the path.

I use the Daily Prayers book from the FPMT.org website.It's like $1 to download.Takes me like 5 min to read through in the morning.

The only other stuff I try to do daily includes:-maintain a shrine with the 7 offerings (water to wash, water to drink, flowers, light, perfumed water, pure food, music) -9 prostrations every morning: 3 Jewels x 3 times. --note: will go to 12 prostrations if/when I find a root guru. (technically Geshe Soepa became one of my gurus during the ceremony described above, but we've never actually talked).-chant medicine buddha mantra for 1 mala (108 times) - may want to find one that suits you & your goals-chant "om ahbira kay tsara hum" 7 times any time I eat meat-meditate (currently going through fpmt's Meditation 101 online)

catmoon wrote:Minor point here.7 bowl offering is drinking water, washing water, flowers, incense, light, scented water and food. Plus a musical instrument of some kind on the shrine makes 8 offerings altogether.Might just be a difference of tradition though, like the Medicine Buddha colors.

No, you're right.I said 7, but I have 8.Forgot to mention the incense.I got some conch shells to represent a conch horn - they're in a bowl, while my candle (for light) is not.